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To me, it comes down to the question of whether or not we should be
using taxes to change behaviors. The high price of gas is the only
impetus I've ever seen that has actually pushed people towards more
fuel-efficient cars. Simple awareness of the issues doesn't seem to be
anywhere near enough. The engine tax might cause people to stop buying
cars that are massively inefficient. This would be beneficial in the
long run. I would prefer that the money from this tax go directly
towards basic research in alternative energy and efforts to clean up
toxic spills and the like.<br>
<br>
Anyway, nobody likes to pay taxes. Yet everyone likes to drive on the
roads and have easy access to electricity and water and protection from
crime via the police, etc. That takes money. How else do we get it if
not through taxes? How do you wean people off of fossil fuels when Big
Oil has the government (whatever flavor it is at the moment) in it's
pocket?<br>
<br>
I do like the idea of a flat-rate tax, but if you eliminated all the
other taxes I'd imagine that that 20% number would rise by quite a
bit. Anyway, it will never happen because the people who would be hit
the hardest are in power and always will be barring an actual
revolution. They would just redefine things so that the majority of
money they make cannot legally be called "income", even if it did pass.<br>
<br>
Paul<br>
<br>
Donovan Arnold wrote:
<blockquote
cite="mid20060928062812.57304.qmail@web38114.mail.mud.yahoo.com"
type="cite">Dick,<br>
<br>
It is the federal and state government that is taxing the hell out of
me. Last time I checked they were both run by Republicans. <br>
<br>
You are probably right though that Democrats would be taxing too. <br>
<br>
I think the only difference between the two is what they spend the
taxes on. Democrats spend them on big government programs and
Republicans spend them on big missiles and tanks. <br>
<br>
Either way, they are taking way too much. <br>
<br>
I think a flat tax of 20% on every dollar made after 24K a year is a
fair rate that doesn't inflict poverty on too many people. But no other
taxes. That would give the government about 10% of total income of the
country. That is plenty. <br>
<br>
Best,<br>
<br>
_DJA<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<b><i>Dick Sherwin <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:rvrcowboy@clearwire.net"><rvrcowboy@clearwire.net></a></i></b> wrote:
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<div><font face="Arial" size="2">DJA writes: "<font
face="Times New Roman" size="3">Tell these damn Republicans, to stop
taxing the living !@#$% out of me. I should not have to pay 25-33% of
my income to the government to give away to people that are probably
living better than me. That is just insane!<font face="Arial" size="2">"</font></font></font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">__________________________________________________</font></div>
<div> </div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">That would make sense except the
Dems want to tax us even more. Like Paul, they would probably like to
put a tax on our car engines.</font></div>
<div> </div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">It is time for this country to get
away from the income tax and go to a flat tax on consumption. No
loopholes, no refunds, no payments on April 15. You pay as you
consume. How simple is that?</font></div>
<div> </div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">Dick S.</font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2"><br>
</font></div>
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<div
style="font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">-----
Original Message ----- </div>
<div
style="background: rgb(228, 228, 228) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial; font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"><b>From:</b>
<a title="donovanjarnold2005@yahoo.com"
href="mailto:donovanjarnold2005@yahoo.com">Donovan Arnold</a> </div>
<div
style="font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"><b>To:</b>
<a title="godshatter@yahoo.com" href="mailto:godshatter@yahoo.com">Paul
Rumelhart</a> ; <a title="vision2020@moscow.com"
href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">Vision2020</a> </div>
<div
style="font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"><b>Sent:</b>
Wednesday, September 27, 2006 9:58 PM</div>
<div
style="font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"><b>Subject:</b>
[Vision2020] Taxes and Deadbeats</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<br>
Paul brings up taxes;<br>
<br>
I am sick of taxes. Damn, it seems like the more I make the more just
goes to the government. Just three months ago I was paying 10% of my
income in taxes, now that I got a raise, I got to pay 20%. Who am I
working for? Why does the government punish you for working hard and
getting a raise? They tax me on food, income, rent, property, interest
on savings (double tax), gas, beer, wine, tires, licensing my car,
school books, cleaning supplies, OTC drugs, and about everything else
the government can think of. <br>
<br>
Why? Why doesn't the government stop taxing everything to the point we
are in poverty again? Why can't we put a limit on the government's
growth and expansion? Let some of us spend our money that WE EARNED on
our NEEDS instead of spending it on worthless pointless wars, lazy
people that won't get a job, and people that won't take responsibility
for their own actions and life. It just makes me so mad that I work so
hard for the government and lazy people.<br>
<br>
NO MORE TAXES! PLEASE. I cannot stand it anymore. I cannot afford it. <br>
<br>
Here is my idea.<br>
<br>
Eliminate welfare for the non-disabled. Give them loans instead. A
single mom that is young, give her loans, when her child turns 17, she
can start working and pay them off. Why should I have to pay for her
children, they are hers and the father. Make her and the father pay it
all back, with interest, and use that money to raise the next batch of
teenage pregnancies. <br>
<br>
Prisoners, send them all to the cheapest prison run states, like
Alabama, Arizona, New Mexico, and Georgia. Then make the prisons pay
off the cost of imprisoning them with labor instead of prison and
working when they get out. Why should they get free food, housing, and
medical because they committed a crime? Give them loans, then when they
get out, charge for the loans, plus interest to pay for the next batch
of criminals. <br>
<br>
Medical, create free trade with Canada, Mexico, and Europe for medical
supplies. This will drive the cost of medical care way down. Couldn't
you see it now? $1 for months prescription. That would be fantastic.<br>
<br>
Tell these damn Republicans, to stop taxing the living !@#$% out of me.
I should not have to pay 25-33% of my income to the government to give
away to people that are probably living better than me. That is just
insane!<br>
<br>
Best,<br>
<br>
_DJA<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<b><i>Paul Rumelhart <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:godshatter@yahoo.com"><godshatter@yahoo.com></a></i></b> wrote:
<blockquote class="replbq"
style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255); padding-left: 5px; margin-left: 5px;">Fellow
vision2020-ites,<br>
<br>
While wandering aimlessly through the internet one day (meaning that I <br>
don't remember where I came across it), I found out that Japan has an <br>
engine tax. The smaller and more fuel-efficient the engine, the smaller
<br>
the tax. The tax apparently ranges from about $40 to $800 or so <br>
annually, iirc. People who own more than one car would presumably be <br>
taxed on both. In these days of higher gas prices, global warming, and <br>
pollution concerns, it seems to me like it could be a good idea for our
<br>
country to adopt. We could start with lower numbers and add it in to <br>
the registration cost. That's presuming, I guess, that the registration
<br>
cost doesn't already include it. Does anyone know what that amount is <br>
comprised of?<br>
<br>
Any thoughts on this? Is it a good idea?<br>
<br>
Paul<br>
<br>
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<div> </div>
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